Tube frame for weaving



4 `April 15, 1930. 1 `1 BROGAN 1,754,498

TUBE FRAME FOR WEAVING Filed March 26, 1929 Patented Apr. 1.5, 193()Y PATENT ortica JAMES J'. BROGAN, 0F HIGHTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY` TUBE FRAME FOR WEAVING- Application filed. March 26, 1929. Serial No. 350,100.

This invention relates to tube frames for weaving carpets or like pile fabrics.

Tn some of the tube frames with which applicant is aware, the hanger is provided with 5 a rigid hooked latch member which is pressed against the pattern chain engaging member by means of a spiral spring positioned between the upright member carrying the chain engaging'Y member and the latch at a point about midway the length of said members and substantially in the path of movement of the mechanism for transferring the tube frame to operative position in the loom. This spring, because of its position between said L5 members, must necessarily be very small and fragile and in practice it has been found that it soon becomes sprung and distorted and the latch member soon becomes useless. Again, positioning this spring between these members makes it necessary to form seats in the members for the ends of the spring which is usually done by punching depressions or openings in the members necessitating an eX- tra operation thereby adding expense and at 25 the same time weakening the members. Also,

it is very diflicult to gain access to this spring in case it is necessary to replace or repair the same.

Applicant overcomes the foregoing objections by positioning the spring between the upper and lower arms of the device for attaching the tube frame to the carrier bar where there is plenty of room to accommodate a larger spring made of stronger stock 5 and where the spring can readily be reached for repair or replacement. This removes the spring away from the path of the movement e of the transfer mechanism and eliminates the necessity of making seats in the members e0 comprising the hanger.

Furthermore, it has been found in practice that the hook formed on the upper end of the latch member in the ordinary tubeV frame is not by itself sufficient to securely hold or 5 retain the hanger on to the pattern chain and often pressure on the hooked portion accidentally releases the hook from the chain, permitting the tube frame to fall. This accidental releasing or displacement of the hook from the chain is overcome in applicants improved device by .providing the latch member with a pin adyacent the hook, which pin 1s adapted to enter an opening in the pattern chain and with the hook securely and positively hold the chain and hanger against accidental displacement especially from pressure on the hook portion, but at the same time permitting the latch to be released by the clutches of the transfer mechanism.

Also in some of the tube frames now in use which have a rigid spring pressed latch member, said latch member is hinged at its bottom end by curling or otherwise mounting said bottom end loosely around a hinge pin. Bearing members must be provided for this pin which are usually formed by forming openings in the carrier bar for receiving the ends of the pin or by channelling the walls of one of the members forming the hanger. By reason of this construction, each time the clutches of the transfer mechanism engage the latch member there is a thrust against the hinge pin by the encircling portion of the latch whichthrust is imparted or transmitted to the pin bearings with the result that the encircling portion becomes deformed and the pin becomes bent or works itself out sidewise from its bearings or encircling portion thereby rendering the deviceuseless. Applicant overcomes this objection by eliminating the pin and fnlcruming his latch member directly around the walls of aligned slots formed in the rigid upright member and the rigid attaching member. This construction provides a more rigid fulcrum point and insures against displacement of the parts.

In other tubes now in use, the upright member carrying the offset chain engaging portion, the spool bearing member, and the member for attaching the frame to the carrier bar are separate members welded or otherwise secured together. This construction is complicated. and costly and therefore objectionable. In applicants improved device, the chain engag-ing member, the spool bearing member and a portion of the attaching member are formed of a single piece of metal. This provides a device that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and sufficiently rigid to withstand all shocks and strains incident to its use, which is a primary object of the present invention.

Again when mounting the ordinary tube frame to the chain by hand, which often is necessary, it is necessary to manually press the latch away from the chain engaging member by hand which is very difficult. In applicants improved device, the upper edge of the latch member is rounded or curved and is adapted to initially impinge against the link of the chain and is'thereby cammed on to the chain engaging member when the hanger is elevated by land and thus facilitates its attachment to the chain.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from the description therof to follow taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 isa side View of a hanger of a tube framefembodying one ,form of the present invention.

Figure 2 is aperspective view of the form of hanger shown in Figure 1 with the carrier bar attached thereto.

Figure 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly `in sectionof a hanger and attached carrier barembodying a modified form* of the present invention.

4Figure ais a detail view of the latch member shown in Figure 3 detached from the other parts.

Figurek 5 is a detail view of a link of a pattern chain by which the tube frame is supported. j

Referring in detail to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, I have illustrated an ordinary type of carrier bar Vformed of metal and rectangular in cross section. At each end of this carrier bar is securely fixed by means ofA screws 11 a Y suspension member or hanger indicated generally at 12, which hanger is of sufficient rigidity to withstand or resist all shocks 'and strains incident to its use. This suspension member or hanger 12 comprises an upright member 13 formed near its upper end with a lateral offset portion 14, which olfset portion terminates in an upwardly extending chain engaging member 15 adapted to penetrate between the vsides of a link of a sprocket chain 16. .This chain-16 has an opening 17 formed in one of the side members of each link'for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. The chain engaging member 15 is provided at its upper endwith opposed bevelled edges 18 to facilitate its penetration between thesides of the link of the chain. Struck outwardly from' the upright member 13 at theA point where it is offset laterally and disposed in vertical alignment therewith is a perforated lug 19 in which lugr is j ournalled a spool 20 of yarn shown in dotted lines.

The chain 16 is adapted to be releasably held on to said chain engaging member 15 by means of a'rigid latch member indicated generally at 21. The construction and mounting of this latch member 21, by reason of which the chain is positively and releasably held in engagement with the chain engaging member 15, are important features of the present invention. This latch member comprises a shank portion A22, the upper end of which terminates in ailiook 23 provided with a bevelled edge presenting a sharp corner 24. The hook 23 is formed with a rounded or curved `portion 25 which extends a slight distance to the side of the shank 22. The lower end'of the'shank 22 terminates in a flat curved flange 26 disposed horizontally and extending to the side of the shank opposite the hook 23. This latch member is so mounted that itmoves outwardly away from and inwardly toward the upright member 13. Struck outwardly from the upright member 13 adjacent its bottom end is a lug 27', which lug projects outwardlybeyondthe outer face of the shank 22 when the latter is moved against the surface of the upright member 13 for a purpose which will'be hereinafter explained. An opening or slot 28 is provided in the upright member 13 by forming the lug 27', the upper wall of which slot is roundedY or curved.

An attaching arm .29 having a flange portion 30 is secured to the inner face of the upright member 13 by welding its flange portion to saidupright member or by other suitable means. r)Chis arm 29 is disposed horizontally an d in alignment with a horizontally disposed arm31 formed integrally with the'upright member13. The flange portion 30 of the arm 29 isprovided with a slot disposed in alignment with the slot 28 in the upright member 13,\the upper wall of the former slot being rounded or curved. The curved flange portion y260i the shank 22 extends through the aligned openings in the upright member. and the flange portion 30 and is disposed in the space between-the horizontal arms 29 'and 31 and positioned near the upper arm 29. The upperportion of the shank 22 carrying the hook 23 extends between the walls of an opening 32 formed in the-lateral offset portion 111 andisguided by said walls in its movement. Positioneclfbetween the flange 26 and thelower'horizontal arm 31 isa coiled spring 33, the uppermost convolutionengaging the flange 26 and the lowermost convolution thereof seated on the lowervarm 31, the relative arrangement of said spring 33 andflange'26 being-such that -said flange 26 is normally urged upwardly so that the hook 23 on the upper end of the shank is normally in engagement with the chain engaging member 15 as will be understood. It will be noted that the latch member pivots around the curved walls of the alignedopenings in the upright member 13 and the Hange 30.

In the ordinary hangers the hook on the upper' endy of the'latch member alone-is used to retain the chain on the chain engaging member of the hanger. It has been found in practice that pressure brought to bear on this hook accidentally or otherwise tends to release the hook from the chain and permit the' tube frame to drop down into the loom and cause trouble. Additional means for retaining the chain on 'the chain engaging member l5 is provided by applicant and is an important feature of the present invention. This means consists of a pin 34 fixed to the shank 22 in n any suitable manner, at a point thereon adj affl) cent the hook 23 and extending outwardly therefrom in the same direction as said hoo'k 23 and for about the same distance. In using a latch with the pin 34, the side member of the link having the opening 17 is faced toward the pin so that when the link is in operative position on the member l the pin is in alignment with said opening and adapted to pass therethrough upon movement of the latch as will be understood. With the hook 23 engaging the upper edge of the link and the pin 34 inserted into the opening 17 therein, said link is securely held on to the chain engaging member. Movement of the latch member inwardly toward the upright member 13 will of course move the pin 34 away from the link and leave the tube frame free to be carried away.

The hanger 12 is securely and releasably attached to the carrier bar by inserting the horizontal arms 29 and 31 through the opened ends thereof until the spaced openings in said arms are aligned with tlie'openingsin the cari-ier bars and then passing the screws 11 through said aligned openings. This prevents longitudinal and torsional displacement of the carrier bar and hanger. When the carrier bar is thus positioned over the arms 29 and 31 the coiled spring 33 is out of reach and protected from accidental injury. If it is desired to repair or replace the spring or the latch all that it is necessary to do is to loosen I the screws 1l and pull the hanger out and all paits of the hanger are readily accessible. It will be understood that the space between the arms 29 and 31 is such that it will accommodate a spring of large dimensions and of` stronger stock than if the spring were positioned between the upright arm and latch member as in the usual constructions.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 3, the latch member 21 terminates at its lower end in a rounded curved portion 3G and formed integrally with the shank 22 adjacent its bottom end is a lug 37, which lug may be outstruelt from the material forming the shank if desired. Formed in the upright member 13 adjacent its lowerend is an opening 38 and formed at the junction of the upright member 13 and its integral horizontal arm 31 is a slot 39, the outer wall 40 of said slot being curved or rounded. This latch member is adapted to fulcrum around the curved outer wall 40 of the slot 39 by reason of the fact that the rounded curved bottom end 36 thereof is insert-ed into the slot 39, its free end extending upwardly a slight distance beyond the upper edge of said slot, j. the said curved outer wall serving as a bearing for the said curved end 36.

Adapted to fill the hollow carrier bar 10 is a wooden plug or filler 4l. Formed in each end of the plug is an elongated opening 42 and positioned in this opening is a coiled spring 43. Extending through the coils of said spring is a plunger pin 44 formed with a collar 45, the outer end of which plunger passes loosely through an opening in the upper horizontal attaching arm `29 and the opening 33 in the `upright 13 which is in alignment therewith, and projects outwardly beyond the outer face of said upright member and is adapted to engage the shank 22 of the latch member 21. It will be noted that the inner end of the spring 43 is seated against the inner wall of the opening 42 and its outer end is seated against the collar 45 on the plunger. The spring 43 and plunger are so disposed relatively that the spring normally urges the plunger outwardly into engagement with the latch member so that the hook 23 of said latch normally engages the chain engaging member 15 as will be` t understood. The plug 4l is provided with grooved portions 46 to permit the horizontal arms 29 and 3l to slide between said plug and upper and lower walls of the carrier bar.

Tn operation, to release the hanger from the chain 16, a transfer clutch 47, shown in dotted lines, of the usual construction impinges against the latch member 21 as will be understood by those skilled in the art and the hook 23 and pin 34 carried by said latch are disengaged from the chain after which the tube frame with its hanger is pulled downwardly away from the chain into operative position for delivery to the loom. If for any reason the tube with its hanger does not descend with the transfer mechanism, the protruding lip 48 of the clutch 47 of the transfer mechanism will directly engage the lug 27 or the lug 37 and interlock therewith and thus positively pull the frame downwardly into operative position. When elevating the tube frame by hand for attachment with the chain 16, the curved portion 25 of the hook 23 first engages the link of the chain and vdue to its curved formation, said link slides on to the chain engaging member 15 thus facilitating the attachment. If by chance the latch member should work itself outwardly away from the chain, the sharp corner 24 of the hook 23 coming into engagement with the upper edge of the chain would tend to hold the tube in position.

While l have illustrated and described several embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that various changes might be made in details of construction Without departing from the spirit of the invention and I desire therefore to be limited only by the state of the prior art and the appended claims.

My improved device can be used With all of the tube frames now in use and these tube frames can readily be converted for use With my improved hanger all that is necessary to do being to punch openings in such frames.

I claim:

1. In a tube frame for Weaving, the combination With a chain having links formed with lateral openings, of a hanger comprising a chain engaging member, a spool bearing member, a spring pressed latch adapted to normally engage said chain engaging member and a pin carried by said latch adapted to enter the lateral opening in the link of said chain to retain said chain on said chain engaging member.

2. In a tube frame for Weaving, the combination with a chain having links formed with lateral openings, of a hanger comprising a chain engaging member7 a spring pressed latch having a hook movably mounted on said hanger, said hook normally in engagement with said chain engaging member to retain the chain thereon and additional means carried by said latch and adapted to cooperate with said lateral 0penings for retaining said chain on said chain engaging means.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature.

JAMES J. BROGAN. 

